The present invention relates generally to the field of processing card issuance units (e.g., credit cards, smart cards and the like) and more specifically to a system and method for receiving card issuance unit requests, processing, embossing and fulfilling such card issuance units.
Conventional systems for receiving card issuance unit requests, processing, embossing and fulfilling such card issuance units (CIU) are generally known. A CIU is a cardholder plastic item such as a credit card or a smart card, alone or in combination with other associated components such as a card carrier, a personal information number mailer and the like. Many institutions typically provide credit cards or smart cards to their customers. For example, upon approving a credit card account for its customer, a bank e.g., Bank of America will provide a credit card to the cardholder. As another example, a smart card network may send an electronic purse such as a smart card and a personal identification number to its subscriber.
These CIUs are typically produced by third parties often unrelated to the institutions. When an institution desires a CIU for a cardholder, it forwards the cardholder""s information to the third party. If the CIU is credit card, for example, the third party receives the cardholder information and begins the process of embossing the credit cards. Embossing refers to imprinting the cardholder""s name and account number, for example, on the credit card. Disadvantageously, in some instances, the conventional embossing process does not account for changes in cardholder information that can arise after a CIU is requested.
Therefore, there is a need to resolve one or more of the aforementioned problems relating to conventional systems for processing card issuance units and, the present invention meets this need.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, a system and method for processing a request for a CIU (card issuance unit), and embossing the CIU for a cardholder is disclosed. If the CIU is a credit card for example, the CIU request is received from an institution such as a bank or the like that desires a credit card for its customer. The system of the present invention processes the request from receipt through embossment until the credit card is shipped to the client. The CIU request typically contains initial account information about the cardholder. This information is aggregated by customer records in a shell. When one or more records are selected, the credit cards for those records are embossed. If updated account information which changes the initial account information is received, the CIU is embossed with the updated account information. Further, the CIU is fulfilled when a production facility has the capability to fulfill all of the selected records. A status update interface is provided for tracking the CIU from the initial order through shipping.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, a method for processing and fulfilling a request for a card issuance unit for a cardholder is taught. The method employs a computing system having one or more computing devices. A request for a card issuance unit is received by the computing system. The request contains initial account information about the cardholder which is then stored. The computing system creates a shell having a record that contains at least a portion the initial account information or an identifier for identifying the account information. If the computing system receives updated account information which supplements or substitutes a portion or all of the initial account information, the updated account information is stored. The records are selected from a summary row which groups xe2x80x9clikexe2x80x9d shells for processing, after which the card information unit is fulfilled by using the updated account information.
According to a further embodiment of the present invention, a system for processing an emboss request for a credit card, and embossing the credit card is disclosed. The system includes software instructions for determining a number of embossing records available for production, and for grouping such records. The system also includes software instructions for receiving selections of embossing records for processing, and for embossing the credit cards. The credit cards are embossed based on the selected embossing records having the most updated information available. Further, the system includes software instructions to assist in sorting the credit cards or associated records into identifiable groups, and for identifying the embossing records for which information has changed after the record has been embossed.
According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, a method for processing a card issuance unit is taught. The method includes storing initial cardholder information about a cardholder in a database. The initial cardholder information is for obtaining the card issuance unit associated with a cardholder. A record containing at least a portion the initial cardholder information or containing an identifier for identifying the cardholder information is then provided. If updated cardholder information is available, the record is updated to supplement or substitute at least a portion or all of the initial cardholder information with the updated cardholder information. The card issuance unit is fulfilled with the record having the updated cardholder information.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a status update for providing information regarding where a CIU is within the production process is available to a client.
A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the present invention herein may be realized by reference to the remaining portions of the specification and the attached drawings. Further features and advantages of the present invention, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the present invention, are described in detail below with respect to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements.